Young Manrico seems set for a life of idle luxury, in the company of his elegant but vapid fiancee Isabella. Most people assume that he'll land a cushy "job" at some embassy or some court. However, Manrico is a fiery warrior who longs to defend his native city of Venice against a bunch of pirates. In secret, he surrounds himself with a band of like-minded companions...
With "The Lion of San Marco" we're clearly in B-movie territory. We're also in "Zorro" territory, with a masked aristocrat defending the weak and attacking the wicked. And yes, it's one of those movies where a character becomes wholly unrecognizable by putting on a modest mask.
It's a colourful adventure movie with lots of swashbuckling and pageantry. The story is set both in Venice and in the surrounding areas, which makes for charming and interesting scenery. One can safely assume that no brain cells were worked to exhaustion while the screenplay was being written, since about 70% of the plot consists of people shouting "Trust me, I won't betray you !" or "You've betrayed me, and I trusted you !"
The costumes and props have an undeniable charm, although some anachronistic details here and there scream "20th century". For instance, the pirate woman who steals Manrico's heart wears a fetching make-up which comes straight from the 1950's to 1960's.
It's not a particularly good movie, but it's not the worst thing ever filmed either. Five stars seem about right...
With "The Lion of San Marco" we're clearly in B-movie territory. We're also in "Zorro" territory, with a masked aristocrat defending the weak and attacking the wicked. And yes, it's one of those movies where a character becomes wholly unrecognizable by putting on a modest mask.
It's a colourful adventure movie with lots of swashbuckling and pageantry. The story is set both in Venice and in the surrounding areas, which makes for charming and interesting scenery. One can safely assume that no brain cells were worked to exhaustion while the screenplay was being written, since about 70% of the plot consists of people shouting "Trust me, I won't betray you !" or "You've betrayed me, and I trusted you !"
The costumes and props have an undeniable charm, although some anachronistic details here and there scream "20th century". For instance, the pirate woman who steals Manrico's heart wears a fetching make-up which comes straight from the 1950's to 1960's.
It's not a particularly good movie, but it's not the worst thing ever filmed either. Five stars seem about right...